POULSBO — Once more, Lee Hodin is the reigning king of the 5-mile Viking Fest Road Race.

Hodin, a science teacher at Poulsbo Junior High School and cross country coach of the high school’s team, won the event for the third year in a row — out of the only three times he’s run it — with a 26:46 time.

He said his favorite aspect of the race, which is held every Saturday morning of the Viking Fest weekend, is spotting his students along the way.

“It always feels good, as you finish it up and see the kids’ smiles waiting at finish line,” he said. “They see me and they say, ‘Oh, that’s my teacher.’”

He added in jest: “Besides, the kids would kill me if I didn’t (run).”

Hodin, who ran cross country at Saint John’s University in Minnesota, said the race comes alive due to the atmosphere of the annual Poulsbo festival and the people he knows who live along the course.

The 5-mile trek took local runners from about the corner of 6th Avenue and Hostmark down to the former Lemolo gas station, mostly along the Liberty Bay waterfront — and back.

Locals who live along the path certainly saw a fair share of runners — 302 competed in the 5-mile event, 248 in the 1-mile race and 100 little ones in the kids’ dashes. One home greeted runners with Vangelis’ song “Chariots of Fire,” — from the 1981 hit movie of the same name — on the way out to Lemolo. When runners returned, they blared the theme from “Rocky,” to give inspiration to runners entering the home stretch.

Ann Armstrong, owner of Armstrong Fitness University, topped the list of female North Enders in the race, coming in second with a time of 34:28. Kirsten Casey of Bainbridge Island took first with 34:13. Armstrong, who has run the race at least 10 times, said she’s always enjoyed the perennial event.

“It’s always great,” said Armstrong, who ran in college at Western Washington University. “I love the race. We get some really good runners in it. And you always know where you can lay back and where you can fly.”

Armstrong’s finish was all the more impressive considering she’d competed in the Capital City Marathon in Olympia the weekend prior to Viking Fest, thus her body was still recovering.

“I was very happy to be in second place,” she said. “I was more trying to do a workout and not duke it out with other runners.”

The strategy of the race, Armstrong added, is to warm up and steady yourself before the halfway point and then push hard coming back to Poulsbo.

“Once you turn the corner, you pick it up and bring it home,” she said.

Hodin said the race also gives local residents a chance to see runners in the community who have practiced on the back roads, trails and pathways of North Kitsap — though they’ve not always been welcomed.

“Be patient with us as runners and try and go easy on us, we’re not (cutting through a property) to be mean. It’s hard to tell sometimes,” he said. “Please have mercy on us.”

Hodin said he’s worried that if runners aren’t allowed to practice on trails for events like Viking Fest’s Road Race, they’ll take to the area’s often risky highways.

Both Armstrong and Hodin encouraged area runners to keep trying and be patient. Success at Viking Fest will come to those who work hard, they said, but there’s one other aspect runners have to maintain, Armstrong added.

“Be sure you’re having fun,” she commented.

Viking Fest results: 5-mile, Men’s overall — Lee Hodin, 26:46. Jim Savage, 27:30. Chris Swanson, 27:40. Steven Fisher, 27:53. Todd Petrovich, 27:59.

5-mile, Women’s overall — Kirsten Casey, 34:13. Ann Armstrong, 34:28. Brenna Lander, 35:03. Deborah Kerns, 36:00. Bethany Friesen, 36:38.

Men’s Categories, 5-mile: 10-12 boys — Michael Thorsen, Tyler Whitford, Taylor Reid. 13-15 boys — Joel Turheimer, Zac Simmons, Paul Coulter. 16-18 men — Jeffery Allen, Kyle Hollenbeck, Paul Brown. 19-29 men — Brian Colleser, Martin Ranney, Zach Williams. 30-39 men — Kelly Svarthumie, Clint George, Kris Overby. 40-49 men — Douglas Babbitt, Kenneth Peper, Darrel Smith. 50-59 men — James Hansen, Jay Gaines, Wayne Paulson. 60-69 men — Bill Powers, Roger Dean, Buzz Fleisch. 70+ men — Raleigh Ballou.

Women’s categories, 5-mile: 9U girls — Shannon Maleski. 10-12 girls — Liza Snyder, Jenny Sargeant, Kelly Snuyit. 13-15 girls — Leona Adamian, Debra Simpson, Jessica Jewett. 16-18 women — Kendall Jennings, Heather Underwood, Ashley Blazina. 19-29 women — Karla Laubach, Stella Peterson, Tiffany Royal. 30-39 women — Melissa Dunning, Jennifer Campbell, Sonja Larson. 40-49 women — Debra Sclpieryn, Stephanie Day, Linda Potter. 50-59 women — Marty Jordan, Debra Reddy, Terry Zirn. 60-69 women — Judy Fisher, Faye Henden, Ann Taylor. 70+ — Eloise Adair, Marilyn Blachorby.

1-mile, men’s overall — Luke Reichley, 4:51. Derek Schruhl, 4:58. Brenden Schruhl, 5:06. 1-mile, women’s overall — Robyn Embrey, 6:03. Kendall Rock, 6:20. Haley Peper, 6:36.

Men’s categories, 1-mile: 9U boys — Jonathan Swartzwelter, Kyler Gracy, Tyler Lee. 10-12 boys — Tyler Spear, Nathan Foster, Thomas Gill. 13-15 boys — Nelson Pease, Jacob Morgan, Ben Swartzwelter. 16-18 men — Chris Ziegler, Brian Fagan, Steve Nelson. 19-29 men — Ryan Bradley. 30-39 men — Paul Bourmartna, Eric Roley, Ryan Bell. 40-49 men — Lowe Pratt, Barney Bernhard, Joe Spear. 50-59 men —Larry Roberts, Mike Anderson, Ed Dunning. 60-69 men — Doug Woollen, Jimmy Smith, Rich Greig. 70+ — Ruggles Larson.

Women’s categories, 1-mile: 9U girls — Kelly Nash, Annie Roberts, Clara Lund. 10-12 girls — Marina Roberts, Sara Nash, Lindsey Foster. 13-15 girls — Amanda Roley, Katie Jackson, Maggie Kaiserman. 16-18 women — Brittany Yendal, Karri Donahue, Joanna Kaiserman. 19-29 women — Ashley Grandall, Naomi Berkerslilus, Marcy Crebs. 30-39 women — Susan Cameron, Mani Ronna Davis. 40-49 women — Karen Statter, Shawn Painter, Mary Howe. 50-59 women — Ellen Ross-Cardoso, Debbie Ziegler, Cindy Yendall. 60-69 — Valerye Mcleod, Barbara Peterman.

– Results completed by Poulsbo Parks and Recreation